‘Reginald the Rooster' and his sidekick are perking up this neighborhood

‘Reginald the Rooster' and his sidekick are perking up this neighborhood

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Updated: 5:35 AM EDT May 8, 2020

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EDIE: FAIRY TALE SCENES OF HAPPILY EVER AFTER ARE LOOKING A LITTLE WEIRD THESE DAYS. ♪ BUT IN A TIME WHERE EVERYTHING IS FEELING A LITTLE WEIRD, A ROOSTER NAMED REGINALD AND HIS SIDE-KICK CHICK ARE PERKING UP THIS CAMERON PARK NEIGHBORHOOD. >> WE NOTICED THAT WITH THE WHOLE COVID THING GOING ON, A LOT OF OUR NEIGHBORS, THEY WERE STILL WALKING BUT A LOT OF THEM WEREN’T SMILING. AND MANY WEREN’T STOPPING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH OTHER DUE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING AND EVERYTHING, AND WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE THEM SMILE. EDIE: TURNS OUT THERE’S NOTHING LIKE A WELL-DRESSED ROOSTER TO CREATE A POSITIVE DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE. REGINALD, SEEN HERE IN THE MILLENNIUM FALCON, WAS AN ANNIVERSARY GIFT FROM ARTIST AMBER WILD’S HUSBAND. IT STARTED AS A JOKE, BUT THIS WAS HIS MOMENT. >> WE JUST STARTED DRESSING HIM UP IN DIFFERENT OUTFITS AND IT WAS REALLY FUN TO WATCH THE REACTION, AND YOU WOULD JUST SEE THAT JUST FOR A FEW MINUTES PEOPLE WOULD FORGET ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WAS GOING ON IN THE WORLD AND THEY’D LAUGH, TAKE A PICTURE WITH HIM, SO IT WAS KIND OF FUNNY. EDIE: FOR SOME, A VISIT TO SEE REGINALD IS NOW A WELCOME PART OF THE DAILY ROUTINE. >> I HAVE A FOUR-YEAR-OLD, A VERY ACTIVE FOUR-YEAR-OLD, WHO IS AN ONLY CHILD, AND SO SHE GETS A LITTLE BORED AROUND THE HOUSE. WE CAN’T COMPLAIN, WE’RE HEALTHY AND KEEPING ENTERTAINED, BUT BEING ABLE TO SEE REGINALD AND HIS OUTFITS HAS JUST BEEN SUCH A HIGHLIGHT OF HER DAY. SHE GETS UP AND SHE SAYS, ARE WE SEEING REGINALD TODAY? WE LOVE IT. EDIE: REGINALD GETS A WARDROBE CHANGE EVERY ONE TO THREE DAYS. THE STAR OF TOY STORY, A SUPERHERO, A PRINCESS, THE EASTER BUNNY, EVEN ELVIS. HOW MUCH TIME DOES THIS TAKE? >> PROBABLY ANYWHERE BETWEEN SIX TO 12 HOURS FOR EACH ONE. BUT MY KIDS HELP ME, AND I DO ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF THE COSTUMES AND EVERYTHING. IT’S FUN. EDIE: AS SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE MORE TIME RIGHT NOW, A ROOSTER IN DISGUISE TURNED OUT TO BE JUST THE STORY THEY NEEDED. >> JUST EVEN FOR A LITTLE BIT FORGET ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON AND SMIL

As people get out for fresh air while under the COVID-19 restrictions, it can get monotonous to take the same walks through the neighborhood. But some in California are getting a new view several times a week — thanks to a fancy rooster and the woman who spends hours every day getting him dressed. "We noticed that with the whole COVID thing going on, a lot of our neighbors, they were still walking, but a lot of them weren't smiling," said Amber Wild, an artist from El Dorado County. "Many weren't stopping to have conversations with each other due to social distancing and everything. We wanted to do something that would make them smile."Reginald was an anniversary gift from Wild's husband, which started out as a joke. "We just started dressing him up in different outfits and it was really fun to watch the reaction, and you would just see that even just for a few minutes, people would forget about everything else that was going on in the world and they'd laugh, take a picture with him," Wild said. For some, a visit to Reginald is now part of their daily routines. Reginald's wardrobe changes every one to three days and, so far, has been themed with superheroes, princesses, the Easter Bunny, Star Wars, Toy Story and even Elvis. Neighbor Ashley Samadani says her 4-year-old daughter was getting a little bored around the house until Reginald came on the scene. "We can't complain, we're healthy and keeping entertained, but being able to see Reginald and his outfits has just been such a highlight of her day," Samadani said. "She gets up and she says, 'Are we seeing Reginald today?' We love it."Wild says it takes between six to 12 hours to create each display. "My kids help me and I do already have a lot of the costumes and everything," she said. "It's fun."

As people get out for fresh air while under the COVID-19 restrictions, it can get monotonous to take the same walks through the neighborhood.

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But some in California are getting a new view several times a week — thanks to a fancy rooster and the woman who spends hours every day getting him dressed.

"We noticed that with the whole COVID thing going on, a lot of our neighbors, they were still walking, but a lot of them weren't smiling," said Amber Wild, an artist from El Dorado County. "Many weren't stopping to have conversations with each other due to social distancing and everything. We wanted to do something that would make them smile."

Reginald was an anniversary gift from Wild's husband, which started out as a joke.

"We just started dressing him up in different outfits and it was really fun to watch the reaction, and you would just see that even just for a few minutes, people would forget about everything else that was going on in the world and they'd laugh, take a picture with him," Wild said.

For some, a visit to Reginald is now part of their daily routines. Reginald's wardrobe changes every one to three days and, so far, has been themed with superheroes, princesses, the Easter Bunny, Star Wars, Toy Story and even Elvis.

Neighbor Ashley Samadani says her 4-year-old daughter was getting a little bored around the house until Reginald came on the scene.

"We can't complain, we're healthy and keeping entertained, but being able to see Reginald and his outfits has just been such a highlight of her day," Samadani said. "She gets up and she says, 'Are we seeing Reginald today?' We love it."

Wild says it takes between six to 12 hours to create each display.

"My kids help me and I do already have a lot of the costumes and everything," she said. "It's fun."